Fibrous composition of matter and method of making same.



UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE w. LARAWAY, 0F NEWYORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR' TO THE NATIONAL- PACKAGE COMPANY, or GLENS FALLS, NEW YORK FIBROUS COMPOSITION OF MATTER AND METHOD OF MAKING SAIIIE.

srncmc'snonr forming-part of Letters Patent No. 664,957, dated January 1, 1901. Application filed March 25,1899. Serial No. 710.452. (Ho specimens.)

a citizen of the United States, residing at New -York, in the county and State of New York,

have invented new and useful Improvements in Fibrous Compositions of Matter and Meth- -ods of Making the Same, of which the followin'g is a specification.

'This invention relates to that class of hard and tough fibrous compositions of matter which are composed mainly of a finely-comminuted fibrous substance and a-fusible cementing agent-for instance, resin or other resinous matter which ingredients are united by intimately lmixing them and subjecting' the mixture to heat and pressure.

The object; of this invention is to produce a. composition of matter of this general character which is capable of resisting hot or cold water or oil and which is therefore suitable for the manufacture of vesselsv and other articles which are designed for containing such liquids or which are liable in their use to be exposed to the action of such liquids.

In practicing my invention I slake quicklime, preferably in hot-water, and add while thelime is slaking paraflin-wax, preferably in about the proportion of three ounces of paraflin-walx to every pound of quicklime. The

lime and paraffin combine. during this opera-' tion, and the resulting material is removed, drained, and allowed to dry or, if preferred, is dried by artificial heat, forming a light porous substancewhich is lighter than water and which strongly repels water. The combined lime and paraflin is then reduced to a .fine powder and intimately mixed with a fusible cementing substance, also reduced to a due powder. This can be conveniently done by placingboth-materials in an ordinary tumbling-barrel and pulverizing the-materials in the same until. the desired degree of fineness is obtained. I preferas the cementing agent the resinous matter which is ordi-, narily known in the trade as rosin; but any other resinous matter, gum, or other suitab 0 fusible cementing substance may be employed. Iprefer to use equal parts of rosin and combined lime and paraffin; but these so proportions may vary somewhat in accordance with the materials employed and the naquired to ture of the article tobe produced. This in ixvture of powdered rosin and -combined lime and paraflin is then'intimately mixed with a finely-reduced fibrous material. The particular fibrous material which is employed mayvary in diiTerent-cases and localities in accordance with the'available supply of such material, itscost, and the character of the articles which areto be manufactured from the com osition. For illustration, waste paper can I e advantageously used by reducing or comminuting the same in a suitable cutting-or pulverizing machine to a fine fluffy or flocky condition. Cornstalks, bagasse, palmetto-root, and many other vegetable fibrous substances or materials can also been:-

ployed by simply reducing the same to a fine conveniently mixed in an ordinary tumbling-.

The resulting dry fluffy mixture is barrel. then compressed, preferably by a hydraulic press, under the application of a suflic'ient degree of heat to fuse or melt the cementing agent, whereby a hard and tough materialis' produced which is suitable for the manufac' ture of a great variety of articles and which is not disintegrated by hot or cold water or by oil. For instance, by using vegetable fiber, such as waste paper, wood-pulp, cornstalks, bagasse, v&c., as the fibrous ingredient a material is produced which is very useful for kegs, barrels, pails, and other vessels and articles of manufacture which are tobe proof against hot and cold water and oil. I v v 4 Pigments can be mixed with the ingredients for giving the composition throughout the desired color, or such pigments canbe dusted on the dies in which the materialis pressed. for facing the composition with the desired color. The dry fluffy mixture can be pressed directly and in one operation into the desired form of the article which is desired to be produced.

Instead of paraffin-waxamy other suitable waterproofing ingredient may be combined with the lime for instance, fallow or some other suitable animal fat or oil or linseed-oil may be employed.

I claim as my invention- 1. The herein-described method of producing a hard and tough product which consists in slsking lime, adding at Waterproofing ingre (iient pnlverizing the combined substance,

mixing it with a. fusible cementing ingredient and fibrous matter and. pressing the'mixtnre under the application of heat, substantieiiy as set forth.

2. The herein-described hard. and tough product consisting of fibrous metter a. fused cementing ingredient, lime and e waterproof ing ingredient, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 22d dey of March, 1899.

GEORGE W. LARAVVAY.

Witnessesz W M. E. SPIER, HERBERT L. SELLECK. 

